Dev Blog: Syndicate System Enhancements

Empowering Game Masters with New Tools

Today we're excited to share some significant quality-of-life improvements to the Syndicate system in Einsol's Razor. These updates focus on giving Game Masters more control while streamlining the experience for all party members.

🎯 GM Equipment Catalog Access

The Challenge

Previously, GMs could only add items to the syndicate inventory by transferring them from their own characters. This meant GMs had to first add items to a character, then transfer them over - a cumbersome process when trying to reward the party with specific loot or set up scenarios.

The Solution

GMs now have direct access to the entire equipment catalog through a dedicated button in the Syndicate inventory tab. With a distinctive gold "🎮 Add from Equipment Catalog" button, GMs can:

• Browse all equipment in the game (weapons, armor, gear, wetware, etc.)

• Search by name and filter by category

• Select multiple items at once

• Add them directly to the syndicate's shared inventory
  

Why It Matters

This change dramatically speeds up game prep and in-session item distribution. Need to quickly add that legendary sword the party just found? Done in seconds. Want to stock the party's base with supplies? No problem. The system reuses the existing transfer modal interface, so there's no learning curve - it just works.

📅 Session Scheduling Overhaul

What's New

The session scheduling system received several crucial updates based on user feedback:

Improved Form Design

• Duration in Hours: Changed from minutes (180) to hours (3) - because who thinks about game sessions in minutes?

• Timezone Support: Added timezone selection with 14 common options, auto-detecting the user's timezone by default

• Better Labels: Every field now has clear labels - no more mystery boxes

• Fixed Text Areas: Session notes can no longer break out of their container
  

Calendar-Only Date Selection

• Disabled keyboard input on date/time fields - users must use the calendar picker

• Fixed the nearly invisible calendar icon with brightness filters

• Added helpful hint text to guide users
  

Full CRUD for GMs

Game Masters can now:

• Edit any scheduled session to update details

• Delete sessions (with confirmation to prevent accidents)

• Both actions are clearly marked with GM-only gold and red gradient buttons
  

The Technical Details

All these features integrate seamlessly with the existing permission system. The modal component was cleverly extended to handle both character inventory and equipment catalog by using a simple isGMCatalogMode flag. This approach meant minimal code changes while maximum functionality gain.

🔒 Security & Permissions

Every new feature respects the syndicate's role-based access control:

• Only GMs see the equipment catalog button

• Only GMs see edit/delete options for sessions

• All actions are logged in the activity feed

• Backend routes verify permissions before any database changes
  

📊 By The Numbers

• 1 modal component serving 2 different purposes (character transfer & GM catalog)

• 14 timezone options for global gaming groups

• 100% backwards compatible - existing syndicates work without any migration

• 0 new components created - everything built on existing infrastructure
  

🎭 Player Experience

For regular players, nothing changes - and that's by design. They still:

• Transfer items from their characters as before

• RSVP to sessions normally

• See the same familiar interface

The GM tools are completely invisible to non-GM users, maintaining a clean, uncluttered interface.

🚀 What's Next?

These improvements lay the groundwork for future enhancements:

• Loot Tables: GMs could save equipment sets for quick distribution

• Recurring Sessions: Schedule weekly games automatically

• Equipment Templates: Create custom item variations

• Session Reminders: Automated notifications for upcoming games
  

Final Thoughts

Today's updates represent our commitment to making Einsol's Razor not just a character management tool, but a complete tabletop gaming platform. By focusing on the GM experience, we're making it easier to run games, which means more games get played.

The best part? These features emerged from actual play needs. The equipment catalog access came from GMs tired of the transfer dance. The session scheduling improvements came from groups coordinating across time zones. The edit/delete functionality came from the reality that plans change.

Keep the feedback coming, and happy gaming!